About this piece
back to topThis antique collection of plaster Pantheon friezes after John Henning the Elder in a bespoke case is a true cabinet of curiosities.
The oak box is carved in a Tudor style, with symmetrical floral reliefs on the front and sides. Lifting the lid allows the front panel to open, revealing thirteen drawers. Inside, sets of three to four miniatures are in each drawer, some presented on blue paper. We believe there are parts of if not all the Bassae frieze included in this collection.
Usually discovered in sets of five or six, this meticulously sourced collection contains a total of forty-four friezes stored in thirteen drawers. It is said that the first copy of the Pantheon frieze was just two inches high, but over twenty four feet long.
John Henning the Elder (1771-1851).
19th century Scottish sculptor John F. Henning was regarded most notably for his scale replicas of Greek friezes. The one-twentieth-scale models he created of the Parthenon and Bassae friezes took over twelve years to complete. Henning’s original slate models taken from the Elgin Marbles were obtained by the British Museum in 1938. Henning’s works can also be seen on the exterior of the Athenaeum Club located at 107 Pall Mall London.
Additional Dimensions
The plaster plaques measure approximately 25cm long each
